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OKC Thunder: Thunder trio praise fans before potential departures

It remains to be seen if free agents Derek Fisher, Kevin Martin and Ronnie Brewer will return, but this season left an impression on how they felt about the team's fan support.

BY JOHN ROHDE, Staff Writer •
Published: May 17, 2013

It remains to be seen if free agents Derek Fisher, Kevin Martin and Ronnie Brewer will return, but this season left an impression on how they felt about the team's fan support:

Fan line up before Game 5 in the second round of the NBA playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

Fisher: “Coming here last year I learned first hand how special the connection between the community and city and the people and the team, that relationship … When you see the fans out there at 3 in the morning when you get back from a road game, as happy for you advancing out of the first round as winning the championship. Last year was uncommon territory. I had never seen that before, but this year I just wasn't surprised. I will never get used to it, but learning what I learned about the people here, it wasn't a surprise to see it this year. It's just who they are and still one of the best places to play in the league.”

Martin: “From the outside looking in, I knew it was a great place. But actually when I got here, it turned out to be a special place, with how the fans are with the players; how the teammates were with one another; how the coaches went about their business on the court; for the players, making sure we had everything in front of us to be successful. That's something I learned not to take for granted because I've never been in a situation like this. All in all, it was quite enjoyable.”

Brewer: “I always tell people on this team, and I've been blessed to go to different teams — Utah, Chicago — that it's a blessing to be around friends and family, but it's a blessing to be able to play in arenas and atmospheres as the fans that follow the Thunder. … There are good teams in the NBA that won't have sellout games, they don't have fans that cheer for us as loud as they do for us here. I think that's one of the best experiences I've had. No matter who it is in the game, what they're doing, everybody is cheering for them and wants well for them. That was a great feeling, that even though I came halfway through the season, everybody I came across through the city and the arena wished me well and wanted me to succeed and this team to succeed.”

THABO INJURY

Thunder starting shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha injured his left wrist during Game 4 at Memphis and got it taped during the game. He wore a black brace in Game 5 at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday and was still wearing the brace during his exit interview session on Thursday.

“I just fell,” Sefolosha explained. “I am not sure exactly how I fell. I didn't look back at exactly what happened during that play but I fell on it and it was really painful. I think it is a bruised bone or something like that.

“It will need a little bit of attention but nothing too much of a concern like surgery or anything like that. It was a bruise, pretty painful, but other than that nothing that is going to be a concern in the long-term.”

POSTSEASON GAUGE

As a team, OKC finished 5-6 during the postseason, but how do you accurately gauge individual playoff performances when a key ingredient like Russell Westbrook was injured, forcing the team to make adjustments across the board?